-
Stop lurking! Log in to search, post in our forums, review beers, see fewer ads, and more. — Todd, Founder of BeerAdvocate
Dark Force
HaandBryggeriet
- From:
- HaandBryggeriet
- Norway
- Style:
- Russian Imperial Stout
- ABV:
- 9%
- Score:
- 89
- Avg:
- 3.96 | pDev: 11.36%
- Reviews:
- 326
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- May 14, 2020
- Added:
- Jun 17, 2007
- Wants:
- 32
- Gots:
- 52
From a country far, far away, comes the only imperial Wheat stout in the known universe. This Imperial really strikes back. Made with wheat malt and wheat yeast.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada
3.61/5 rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.61/5 rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours an almost equal parts dark brown and black. Is it the wheat that is "lighter" than barley when roasted? Dunno, not really something comparable, this is like, the only example. 1/5" lighter brown head. Aroma just seemed like roasted malt and smoke, couldn't discern where the wheat had any different role aroma wise. I expected more of a dark fruit impression from the yeast, and given my idiosyncracies with the Russian Imperial Stout style, was kind of happy they weren't there.
Taste was nice, and right away, the taste mouthfeel combo showed me right away the difference going with a wheat imperial stout. You get a roastiness, but the sheer heft of it all wasn't there. Elements of smoke, tobacco, toffee in a minor way. Good dry finish. Well carbonated giving it a double dose of levity for a big RIS. I'd say it hid the alcohol decently.
I definitely like this more than most I've had from this brewery. Haandbic rules though.
May 14, 2020Taste was nice, and right away, the taste mouthfeel combo showed me right away the difference going with a wheat imperial stout. You get a roastiness, but the sheer heft of it all wasn't there. Elements of smoke, tobacco, toffee in a minor way. Good dry finish. Well carbonated giving it a double dose of levity for a big RIS. I'd say it hid the alcohol decently.
I definitely like this more than most I've had from this brewery. Haandbic rules though.
Reviewed by puck1225 from Texas
4.25/5 rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Picked this up in Santa Fe during a recent visit.
Poured from a bottle into a tulip glass. Very dark brown color with a thin beige head and light lacing. Aroma of dark red wine and chocolate, carries to the taste. Slightly smokey and a bit earthy with a fairly dry finish. Flavors of nuts and dark berries come out as it warms, even a bit of vanilla and nutmeg. A tad thin for an imperial stout. . A very interesting and enjoyable beer!
Going very nicely with a patio fire for our first cool evening this fall!
Oct 13, 2019Poured from a bottle into a tulip glass. Very dark brown color with a thin beige head and light lacing. Aroma of dark red wine and chocolate, carries to the taste. Slightly smokey and a bit earthy with a fairly dry finish. Flavors of nuts and dark berries come out as it warms, even a bit of vanilla and nutmeg. A tad thin for an imperial stout. . A very interesting and enjoyable beer!
Going very nicely with a patio fire for our first cool evening this fall!
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois
4.25/5 rDev +7.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +7.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Unknown vintage; drank 7/12/19 @ the Beer Temple.
Black appearance. Small tan head; frothy lace.
Charred grain, dark chocolate & leather notes in the nose.
Creamy, thick, velvet-y mouthfeel.
Charred grain & dark chocolate flavors up front; dry leather & faint raspberry notes on the finish.
Robust, challenging & satisfying. A world class stout.
Jul 14, 2019Black appearance. Small tan head; frothy lace.
Charred grain, dark chocolate & leather notes in the nose.
Creamy, thick, velvet-y mouthfeel.
Charred grain & dark chocolate flavors up front; dry leather & faint raspberry notes on the finish.
Robust, challenging & satisfying. A world class stout.
Reviewed by Bitterbill from Wyoming
4.42/5 rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.42/5 rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Brewed September 9th 2015, bottled October 13th 2015. No decoding required.
Wheat malt, wheat yeast? This should be interesting.
It pours black with a pretty big head of tannish foam..nah, it's tan. Good lacing. Once things settle down, there's just a ring of foam around the glass.
That smell! Roasted malt, dark chocolate, toffee, some coffee..3 years old. The years must have been very kind; never had this fresh so I pretty much don't know what I'm talking aboot.
The taste reflects the smell with no hidden surprises. Roasted malt rules the roost with bitter dark chocolate following closely behind. Some coffee, enough for you to know that it's there. Semi sweet/bitter overall and a real treat.
Medium bodied with light carbonation...there wasn't a sound when I popped the cap.
So darn good. A revisit is mandatory.
Oct 09, 2018Wheat malt, wheat yeast? This should be interesting.
It pours black with a pretty big head of tannish foam..nah, it's tan. Good lacing. Once things settle down, there's just a ring of foam around the glass.
That smell! Roasted malt, dark chocolate, toffee, some coffee..3 years old. The years must have been very kind; never had this fresh so I pretty much don't know what I'm talking aboot.
The taste reflects the smell with no hidden surprises. Roasted malt rules the roost with bitter dark chocolate following closely behind. Some coffee, enough for you to know that it's there. Semi sweet/bitter overall and a real treat.
Medium bodied with light carbonation...there wasn't a sound when I popped the cap.
So darn good. A revisit is mandatory.
Reviewed by SABERG from Massachusetts
3.92/5 rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.92/5 rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Poured from a bottle marked batch number 572 into the test glass, served at cellar temp of 54 deg.
A - Dark all light is lost in there, a rapid almost effervescent carbonation feeds the cap. Quick to dissipate the carbonation continues to feed upward in a champagne fashion.
S - Roast grains, but delicate. Elements include burnt sugar, alcohol driven by a bit of mint. (really like that part) Raspberry, a bit of bakers chocolate, and some anise.
T - More cocoa than the aromatics let on, that hint of anise and mint blend well with a bit of tobacco, ripe blackberry, and surprisingly a thin band of smoked meat.
M - Not a hefty offering, body is medium, the carbonation is prickly and quite effective moving that hint of oily texture through. The linger is forever, sweet flavors accentuated by alcohol evaporation feeling.
O - A double Wheat Stout, easy on the palate and quite flavorful. The body is deceiving, comes across as thin but incredibly rich, dances across the palate and leaves traces for what feels like weeks. Worth the effort
Nov 26, 2017A - Dark all light is lost in there, a rapid almost effervescent carbonation feeds the cap. Quick to dissipate the carbonation continues to feed upward in a champagne fashion.
S - Roast grains, but delicate. Elements include burnt sugar, alcohol driven by a bit of mint. (really like that part) Raspberry, a bit of bakers chocolate, and some anise.
T - More cocoa than the aromatics let on, that hint of anise and mint blend well with a bit of tobacco, ripe blackberry, and surprisingly a thin band of smoked meat.
M - Not a hefty offering, body is medium, the carbonation is prickly and quite effective moving that hint of oily texture through. The linger is forever, sweet flavors accentuated by alcohol evaporation feeling.
O - A double Wheat Stout, easy on the palate and quite flavorful. The body is deceiving, comes across as thin but incredibly rich, dances across the palate and leaves traces for what feels like weeks. Worth the effort
Reviewed by josanguapo from Spain
4.25/5 rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25
Dont remember where i bought it. In Teku glass. Playing Brothers a Tale of Two Sons. Nicely roasted. Hints of smoke, but much softer and pleasant than in others of their beers. 50cl of impy enjoyable from beginning to end.
Jul 16, 2017Rated by igl from Russian Federation
4.63/5 rDev +16.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.63/5 rDev +16.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Batch 943. One more nice rich stout from Norway.. very good)
Jun 05, 2017Reviewed by saudekar from Portugal
3.92/5 rDev -1%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4
3.92/5 rDev -1%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4
Pitch black with burnt beige, kind of (I want to say) reluctant head. The smell suggested a pseudo-smoked appeal to it, but instead of other cases in which this was true, HaandBryggeriet doesn't taste like molasses. Urges me to order espresso right after this (which I did, best decision ever!!) with its unfulfilled bitter taste. Blackberry and bitter chocolate in the after taste. I like to classify beer as sharp and blunt but this guy is a challenge- an apologetic sweetness to it after its gaseous body settles in the palate. I had never tasted a full-bodied stout with wheat texture in it, so.. big surprise. Me loves.
Feb 17, 2017
Dark Force from HaandBryggeriet
Beer rating:
89 out of
100 with
530 ratings
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!